Method of lasting open-toe shoes



Jail 14, 1947- J. s. KAMBoRlAN 2,414,204

METHOD OF LASTING OPEN-TOE SHOES Filed sept; 22. 1945 y@ Ms' PatentedJan. 149 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice 2,414,204 METHOD F LASTINGOPEN-TOE SHOES Jacob S. Kamborian, West Newton, Mass. ApplicationSeptember 22, 1943, Serial No. 503,340

i 9 Claims. (Cl. 1v2145 This invention pertains to the manufacture offootwear and relates more particularly to a novel method of lastingopen-toe shoes. It is very difficult to last the open-,toe type of shoeby the usual lasting machine, since there is no material at the centerof the toe end of the upper which may be seized by the center jaw of thepullingover machine. Consequently hand lasting has been resorted to buteven by hand. lasting difficult to obtain satisfactory results, sincethe material at opposite sides of the toe notch must be stretchedindependently.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a. novelmethod of lasting open-toe shoes, particularly shoes which are also openat the heel, whereby in a simple and inexpensive manner to insure asatisfactory degree oi stretch of the fcrepart material at comitantly toassure a proper location of the toe opening. A further object is toprovide a novel method of lasting open-toe shoes which can be performedwithout special skill and without the use of special or complicatedmachinery. Other and further objects and advantages of the inventionwill be pointed out Vin the following more detailed description and byreference to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view ofthe vamp oi an opentoe, open-heel shoe;

Fig.' 2 is a bottom view of the forward end of it is the toe and confthe vamp as it appears at the completion of the Y first step of thepresent novel method;

Fig. 31s a front elevation of the vamp of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a shoe upper mounted on a last;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a lasted shoe; and

Fig. Sis a bottom View of a last of special design useful in theperformance of this novel method.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l-designates a shoe vampappropriate for use in making a shoe of the open-toe, open-heel type.This vampis cut away at the points 2 to provide the rearwardly extendingportions" 3 to which the strap members i (Fig. 5) are attached. At itsforward end the vamp is provided with a notch 5 intervening between twoforwardly directed tabs 6 and l. After preparing this vamp (or the shoeupper embodying the vamp) the tabs 6 and 1 are brought together inoverlapping relation as shown in Fig. 2, and are united by barringstitches B or one or more staples, or otherwise, thus dening an opening9 at the toe end of the shoe.

Prior to assembling the upper with the last a suitable insole will betacked to the last bottom in accordance with usual procedures.

The upper is slipped over the-last and drawn backwardly so that the tipll of the last projects through the opening 9 and distends the latter.The operator twists the upper upon the last until the upper is properlyaligned relatively to the last, thus performing the spindling operation,and then exerts rearward stress upon the vamp by drawing the strapmember ai about the rear endl of the last and tightening the strap. Ifpreferred the strap may be buckled hefore the upper is placed upon thelast and then snapped over the last so as to obtain the desired tension.After thus mounting the upper upon thelast (an operation which takes theplace of the usual pullingover operation)l the lasting may be completedin any desired manner as for example by the use of a lasting machinesuch as disclosed in the patent to Kamborian No. 2,251,284, dated.August 5, 1941.

If the tabs are to be overlapped as above suggested they may be skivedtoreduce the thickness of the material where they overlap. 4Instead ofoverlapping the tabs 6 and 'E they may be brought into edge-to-edgerelation and united for example by barring stitches. In fact the4 tabs'as such may be omitted, the forward end portions of the vamp proper atopposite sides oi the toe notch being placed edge-to-edge or otherwisesuitably juxtaposed and united by barring stitches, staples orotherwise.

While an ordinary last may be employed, it may be desirable if the tipof the last he too blunt to enter the opening 9, to provide the lastlwith Y an auxiliary utip piece of tapering form' as illustrated in Fig.6. The more or less conical tip Il4 of the last 10" is a separate piecesecured in any appropriate way to the last proper. By the employment ofsuch a conical tip it is possible to adapt lasts of the more or lesssquare toed type for use in the practice of this process.

While certain desirable arrangements and procedures have herein beendescribed it is to be understood that the 'invention is broadlyinclusive of any and all equivalent arrangements and procedures fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

1. That method of lasting open-toe shoes which comprises as stepsproviding an upper and an insole, which upper includes a vamp having anotch at its forward end, bringing the forward end portions of the vampmaterialat opposite sides of the notch into juxtaposition, uniting saidthereby conforming the lto provide, with alast. 'last so that Atoeopening in the upper, spindling the upper, 'uniting the structure and any i :Y opening at its toe end located above the level oi --thefoot-supporting surface of the bottom struc- "at opposite sides of the iand permanently uniting them, thereby to define said opening,

- atrasos the upper, assembling the insole with a last, slipping theupper over the last and insole andv drawingit backwardly so that the tipof the last" registers with the opening at the toe end of theupper-,g'pindling the upper and llasting the upper to thefinsnie. Y

23"'lifhat method of lasting open-toe' which comprises as stepsproviding an upper and anginsolasaid upper including avamp whichterminates at its forward end in a pair of tabs separated by a notch,disposing said tabs in overlapping relation, uniting the tabs to deilnea toe opening. assembling the insole with a last, slip' ping the upperover the assembled insole and last so that the tip of the last registerswith the toe in the upper, spindling theuupper, and

applying longitudinally exerted stress thereto, vamp to the forepart ofthelast and lasting the upper to the-insole.

3. That method of lasting open-toe shoes which comprises as stepsproviding an upper and an insole, said upper including a vamp whichterminates at its forward end in a pair of forwardly directed spacedtabs and has an ankle strap at its rear end. disposing the tabs inoverlapping relation and uniting them to dene a toe opening,assembling'theinsole with a last, slipping the upper over the assembledinsole and last so that the tip of the last registers with the toeopening in the upper. spindling the upper, tightening the strap aboutthe rear end of the last thereby stressing the up r rearwardly, anddrawing the .vamp snugly abo t the forepart of the -last and lasting thelippe, to the insole. e

:4. That meth oi' lasting open-toe, open-heel shoes which comprises assteps providing an upper and an insole,

ends ofthe strap to form a loop; snapping the loop` over the rear endoi' the last E -thereby stressing the upper rearwardly and drawing thevampv snugly about the forepart of the last and lasting the upper to theinsole.

5. Method of lasting an open-toed shoe of the kind which, whencompleted, includes a bottom upper, the upper having an ture, saidmethod comprising as -steps providing an upper including a vamp having asubstantially ,.-V-shaped notch at its. forward end bringing the forwardend portions only of the vamp material, notch, into juxtaposition anopening of substantially fixed peripheral extent in the toe end of theupper, introducing a last into the upper and forcing its toe end intoand applying longitudinal stress to the upper thereby to draw itsforepart snugly about the forepart of the last.

6. Method of lasting an open-toed shoe of the kind which, whencompleted, includes a bottom structure land an upper, the upper havingan said upper including a vamp which' terminates at its forward end in apair of spaced Y that its tip Drotrudes .upper thereby to conform `faceof the bottom structure,

openingl at its toe end-locatedabove the levelof,V the foot-supportingsurface of the bottom structure, said method comprising as stepsproviding an upper whose vamp terminates at its forward end -in a pairo'f tabs separated by a notch, diaposing the tabs in overlapped relationand permanently thereby'to denne a toe opening of substantially ilxedperipheral extent while leaving the of the upper rearwardly of said'tabs free from each other, introducing a last into the upper 8o theupper, and applying longitudinal stress to the the vamp to the forepartportions of the last. 7. Method of lasting an-open-toed shoe o f the'kind which, when completed, includes a bottom structure and an-upper,the upper being open at its heel end and having, at its toe end, anopening located above the prising as steps providing an which terminatesat its forward end in a pair of forwardly directed tabs, ankle strap atits rear end, disposing the tabs in overlapped relation' and permanentlyuniting them thereby to provide the upper,v at its toe end.

with an opening of substantially fixed peripheral extent,insertinga-iast into the upper and causing its tip to enter the openingat thetoe end of the upper, and stressing the by tightening the strapabout the rear end of the last, thereby to draw the vamp snugly aboutthe forepart of the last.

-8. Method of lasting an open-toed shoe of the kin which when completed.includes a bottom structure and an upper, the vupper being. open at itsheel end and having, at its toe end. an opening located above the levelof the foot-supporting surface of the bottom structure, said method com.

vamp which terminates at its forward end in a` pair of spaced tabs. theupper having an ankle strap at its rear end, disposing the tabs inoverlapping relation and permanently uniting them, thereby providing theupper, at its toe end, with an opening of. substantially nxed peripheralextent, inserting a last uniting the ends oi.' the ankle strap to formaloop and snapping the loop over the rearend of the last thereby tostress the vamp about the forepart of the machine. y,

9. That method oi iasting an openl-toed shoe of the kind, which whencompleted, includes a bottom structure and an upper, the upper having,at its toe end, an opening located above the level of thefoot-supporting surface of thebottom structure, said method comprisingas steps proding an upper including a vamp having a substantiallyV-shaped notch at its forward end,

permanently uniting the forward end portions onLv of the vamp atopposite sides of the notch, thereby to provide the upper at its. toeend with an opening of substantially .fixed peripheral extent whileleaving the lower lateral margins of the upper, rearwardly of saidopening, free from each other.

j JACOB S. KAMBORIAN.

uniting said tabs by a fastener element into said opening, Spindlinglevel of the foot-supporting surA said method comupper having a vamp lthe upper having an upper rearwardly i upper having a into the upper andcausing its tip to enter the opening at the toe of the upper,

